MR. LUKE AT WADESTOWN

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 41, 16 February 1918, Page 4

MR. LUKE AT WADESTOWN

• Over a score of electors assembled at the Club House, Wadestown, last night to listen to an address by Mr. .J. P. Luke. ■■■. Mr. A. R. Atkinson presided, and in doing so said that he differed in. many respects from the National G.ovemment, and from Mr; Luke, 'out he differed most of all from the Kaiser. They ■were making a. great mistake if they allowed any porsonal or parochial or ordinary questions of partisan politics to divert them - from the supreme duty of presenting a united front and carrying on theiiv part in. the great war a« •worthily as they had already done. (Applause.) Mr. Luke also spoke of the urgent necessity of winning the war, and expressed the opinion that if we stood shoulder to shoulder the cessation of hostilities would soon commence. He stood in the election as the candidate of the National Government. He had' a perfect right to stand, as had all his opponents, and he would continue until the poll was declared. He dT3 not agree with all 'the National Government had^done, but he. did not believo they could have got a more energetic and honest Government than that which had . carried on the Work of the Dominion since it came into existence. If the Government did not win in this election would it not mean that it would be disgraced and discredited here and at Home, and the effect would even be felt in_ Germany. He spoke in terms of praise of the way in which New Zealand's war machinery had been carried on, and,'as

to the burden of finance he said it was to be hoped that, with the demands for food from other countries, the prices of ,our produce would be maintained. Ab to loans, he was in favour of raising them locally. He was in favour also of- exempting necessaries of life from taxation, and hebelieved in 'taxing profits and the larger incomes to make them bear their full share of the war burden. As to returned eolcliere, he said he thought the Government should do all it could to find out what they required, and everything possible should be done to make them .comfortable and' happy.' Thougli he was in favour of a vigorous land settlement policy, he considered they should ' pay greater attention to locJil industries—not only engineering, but shipbuilding, needed to be stimulated. He urged the necessity of forcing the hand* of the Government to provide sufficient accommodation at the Girls' College. In answer to a queetioD he said he was not in favour of placing everyone on an equal footing under a scheme of national service. He believed in everybody going who was fit, but it would not work to take away the wealth, of everybody. s At present war profits were very heavily taxed. He considered' the Government acted quite fairly in using_ any powers it possessed towards arriving at a settlement of the gasworkers' trouble. At the conclusion Mr. Luke was, on the motion of the Chairman, accorded a hearty vote of thanks.